Climate Action
What is Climate Change?
Climate change is the gradual global increase in temperature that impacts various elements of the climate differently depending on where you live. This change is caused by the increase in various gases, referred to as greenhouse gases (GHGs), being released into the atmosphere, primarily carbon dioxide from the burning of fossil fuels such as oil, gasoline, natural gas, coal, etc.
The impacts from climate change expected in Brantford include increased extreme rain events, increased hot days and hot nights and longer heat waves, increased vector-borne disease (such as Lyme), poorer air quality, increased winter precipitation and shorter warmer winter seasons. These impacts are already happening and will continue to increase for the next century. For additional information of the expected climate impacts to Brantford due to climate change, please visit Climate Data’s Brantford page.
Collectively as a community, and as individuals, we need to focus on reducing our carbon emissions and move toward a carbon neutral future by 2050. This means reducing our emissions as much as possible, and putting in place means of absorbing carbon (such as trees) to offset those emissions that cannot be eliminated otherwise.
For more information on the causes of climate change and how it’s impacting Canada, please visit the Government of Canada’s webpage on climate change.
Take Action on Climate Change
Show us how you are tackling climate change on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter using #BrantfordClimateAction. Making climate change part of the conversation is an important contribution.
Here are some tips and resources for you to get started or continue reducing your emissions at work, home, play or in between:
| Measure your Carbon Footprint |
| The first step to making change is understanding where your personal or business carbon emissions are coming from. You can use this online calculator to start to figure that out. |
| Reduce Electricity and Natural Gas Use |
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| Take Low Carbon Transportation |
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| Reduce Water Use |
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| Reduce Waste |
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| Reduce Emissions from Food |
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| Get Involved |
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Brantford’s Climate Change Action Plan
The City is in the process of preparing a Climate Change Action Plan for both the Corporation and the Community to focus on mitigating our impact on climate change by reducing our GHG emissions.
The City of Brantford is a member of the Partners for Climate Protection which is a program from the Federation of Canadian Municipalities and ICLEI to support municipalities with their work toward climate change mitigation and adaptation efforts. Brantford joined this network in 1996 and is working toward completing the five milestones that are part of the program for addressing climate change mitigation. Outlined below is the City’s Climate Change Action Plan (CCAP) development and implementation timeline.
| Milestone | Action | Status |
| One | Complete a baseline emissions inventory | Complete |
| Two | Set emission reduction targets | Complete |
| Three | Prepare a Climate Change Action Plan | Complete |
| Four | Implement Climate Change Action Plan | Corporate - Complete Community - In Development |
| Five | Ongoing monitoring and review | 2022 onward |
Community Climate Change Action Plan
The Community Climate Change Action Plan (CCAP) focuses on actions that community members can take to reduce their own emissions and provides tools to make behavioural changes, such as reducing single passenger vehicles, making homes and buildings more energy efficient, reducing waste and water use, and focusing on carbon offsets that absorb emissions from the atmosphere.
Corporate Climate Change Action Plan
In November 2020, Brantford City Council unanimously approved the Corporate Climate Change Action Plan (CCAP) and Emissions Reduction Targets to reach net-zero GHG emissions by 2050. The Corporate CCAP provides a plan for reducing GHG emissions emitted by the Corporation of the City of Brantford. This includes any emissions that are produced by any City owned or managed assets including buildings, fleet, water and wastewater treatment facilities, streetlights and traffic signals, and emissions from the landfill.
| 2030 Target | 2040 Target | 2050 Target |
| 30% | 80% | 100% (net-zero) |
| (% reduction from 2018 levels) | (% reduction from 2018 levels) | (% reduction from 2018 levels) |
The Corporate CCAP outlines 35 actions the City needs to implement to reach these targets and also outlines a process for monitoring and adjusting the plan to ensure these targets are met. You can read the full details by downloading the plan.
Download the City of Brantford’s Corporate Climate Change Action Plan.
Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory
The City conducted a Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory for both corporate and community emission sources to identify the baseline emissions level from which we can track progress toward our carbon neutral goal. Emissions will be tracked annually and an update will be posted here every other year.
GHG Emissions Baseline Inventory for 2018
Climate Emergency Declaration
In 2019, the City of Brantford Council declared a Climate Emergency stating that Canada has disproportionately contributed to the climate and ecological crises, and that emergency mobilization on an unprecedented scale will be required. Furthermore, the City agrees, in principle, to becoming a net-zero carbon community by 2050.
The climate emergency declaration also requested that staff develop a process by which all matters coming before council consider and quantify (where possible) the impacts on climate change. As a result of this, all staff reports that come before council will have a discussion section for climate change and environmental impacts where information on this topic will be provided for Council to aid in their decision making. Where it is feasible to do so, an estimated total lifetime GHG emissions will be calculated and provided for Council’s information. This information will be consolidated quarterly and annual reports with this information will be provided to the public. These reports will be posted on this webpage when available. This process is under development and will be in effect November 1, 2021.
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